I fully expected to receive the criticisms levelled at me here, which is a shame. Suggesting that I want to appear as the 'one true INFJ' is hilarious to me. There are tens of millions of INFJs out there in the big wide world. An INFJ doesn't care about being '''rare''' or special. That is yet another common misconception, largely propagated by mistyped Fi users who do care about individuality. Fe really doesn't.

Boiled down, the difference between Fi vs Fe is whether the person is emotionally focused on the self or on others. This doesn't preclude a Fe user from believing that they are special, their motivations - and the traits that define this uniqueness - are just likely to be a little different. As others have mentioned, a fear of not being unique is more of an Enneagram 4 issue than something specific to an MBTI type.

Many people confuse correlation with causation, and it is worthwhile looking into the Enneagram system to realise how motivations can colour a type.

Originally Posted by pmj85

In my mind, there's nothing remotely cringe-worthy about trying to actively improve the muddied waters of typology; I thank you for your input and concerns, but within this context your post is not productive. Furthermore, I'm not particularly interested in having this discussion. If you dislike the thread, keep out. It's very simple.

Of course not, but the way you worded your OP post sent out very strong vibes to me and others that you assume everybody is mistyped on here, unless they've had their type confirmed by an MBTI professional. You further assume that INFJs who take offence to such a patronising attitude are "proving" that we're mistyped INFPs (even though INFPs have no cognitive functions in common with INFJs). Can you not see, then, how we might not find you and your approach insulting? I guess what I'm saying is, if you act like an arbiter of people's authenticity don't complain if you're criticised. You have shown a lot of poor logic in this thread and some people have already corrected you on aspects of typology.

Nonetheless I owe you an apology for the tone of my first post, because I was more than a little drunk last night. I hope you don't take anything I've typed as a personal slight, and yes, this will be my last comment.

I've decided that this great slur often positioned against Fi is completely embraceable. Yes, I am sensitive, but not the way you might imagine.

Listen, I'll tell you, the greatest gift the forum has given me is knowing that all the hurtful things I can feel behind the words, the things you're saying between the lines, the things I sense about you but I don't want to believe are true, actually mostly are. And that's ok, because I can accept someone like you warts and all; the world is full of people with lots of unkind thoughts in their heads and a smile on their face but that doesn't necessarily make them bad people.

The bigger issue is you being able to accept and see yourself clear. Since you were pretty forthright from the start, perhaps you already do. Just nicer to not candy-coat it; it's still facetious.

My apology stands and is offered with complete sincerity.

Your words had a purpose and your mission was a success. Congratulations! However, even though your words are filled with those messages, I still love and accept you as a human being. Your purpose was uncharitable and part of me wants to give that back to you, but I won't harbor you ill will.

Sincere good luck in your journey!

eta: I was thinking of this while making lunch - you likely are thinking you're only treating me the way you feel you were treated first. But I'm going to point out this:

Your own post sought to deride me in some way

You treated me based on an ASSUMPTION of my intent - you assumed I was looking down on you in some way so felt justified to deliver it right back. Yet, let me clarify my intent for you so you know it crystal-clear: my intent is (ironically) to clear up misinformation about Fi. When I see it, I reply and share information. My post had nothing to do with you personally and was not intended to insult you in any way.

"Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one."
― Eleanor Roosevelt

"When people see some things as beautiful,
other things become ugly.
When people see some things as good,
other things become bad."
― Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

I really don't understand Fe at all. My decisions are based and have always been based on my own personal values. I don't need a professionally administered Mbti instrument to tell me which functions I use nor a counselor to help me come to a conclusion. That being said, I think its rather unfair to post on a type discussion board "I only want to communicate with other professionally confirmed Infj's" Because in doing so you are automatically discrediting anyone who has made self assessments and accurately determined their own type.

1.) I totally understand how this thread can seem discrediting to other people who call themselves INFJ without the aid of a practicioner, but I HOPE the point is NOT to say "YOU'RE WRONG AND YOU'RE NOT AN INFJ!!!" I would hope that point of the thread is to say "Hey let's gather information about people who are typed INFJ by professionals and compare it to people who weren't" ...that would be a slightly more scientific/less judgmental approach wouldn't it?

2.) Sure, he/she should not have said in the OP "I want GOOD and ACCURATE information" ...because just because someone is typed by a practicioner ...it does not mean that the practicioner is right ...especially when WE FOR SURE KNOW that different practicioners can give out different answers. Does that mean that opinion of just anyone is always correct? Of course not, but everyone's opinion does matter and it is useful to see how each person has come to their conclusions.

3.) so basically, practioners CAN be wrong (doesn't mean they ALWAYS will be wrong so their opinions should be included) AND people who type on their own CAN be wrong (does not mean that they will ALWAYS be wrong ...so their opinions should be included). It doesn't matter who decided to place the label on the person... I think it is fair to think that NOT everyone who is wearing that label to be called an INFJ ...just like not everyone who has been typed as INFP by themselves or by others is an INFP. Same thing with ENTP. But yes, I understand how he/she should not have set the standard by saying "only those who have typed themselves by a source ONLY I deam credible will have their opinions taken into consideration"

...and I please beg you to tell me if I am wrong on any account... just do not use sarcasm or be flippant because the message will be lost upon me. Just say directly that I am wrong/misguided/whatever.

You treated me based on an ASSUMPTION of my intent - you assumed I was looking down on you in some way so felt justified to deliver it right back.

Mmm, tastes like Ni+Fe.

To @pmj85, I'm afraid the best I have for you is that a friend, who is a psychologist and studied MBTI (and Big 5) extensively, told me that I am INFJ. I already knew this, but had not discuss my type with him previously. As others have mentioned, the professionals you require are difficult to come by and money is an issue for most people these days.

Never wrestle with a pig. You will get dirty and the pig will enjoy it.

You'd be surprised how much a non-INFJ might be able to tell you about INFJs, just based on exposure and experience.

The topic of MBTI came up with a psychologist friend of mine, and she said she didn't remember what her type was. I told her "INFJ". Later on she took a test and was clearly INFJ. Then she went and read a few descriptions around the web, and was surprised how well it had described her. She had already been exposed to personality inventories and had strongly considered research of one of the SLOAN dichotomies (agreeableness), but seeing something like this describe her and how she had felt for most of her life.

And she was even more amazed as I described her thought processes to her in detail, both conscious and unconscious, and how they interacted within herself and with others (using a few helpful doses of type dynamics from Quenk). I'm afraid I shouldn't reveal specifics, as lots of personal topics came up, but it was remarkably helpful for her. She ended up telling her friends and family about it and started having them all take the MBTI. (Being a psychologist makes the subject doubly fascinating for her.)

Anyway, I wish you luck with your investigations. Try not to get too focused on the words and their definitions, but instead on the patterns as they reveal themselves in human beings. The patterns which repeat from person-to-person are the traits governed by type theory. The primary useful aspect of the patterns is you only need to see bits and pieces of the pattern to know that it's there.

An argument is two people sharing their ignorance.

A discussion is two people sharing their understanding, even when they disagree.